Pacific Northwest

Washington

Seattle

Around Seattle

Olympic Peninsula

Northwest Washington

San Juan Islands

North Cascades

Northeastern Washington

South Cascades

Central & Southeastern Washington

Oregon

Portland

Willamette Valley

Columbia River Gorge

Oregon Cascades

Oregon Coast

Southern Oregon

Eastern Oregon

Pacific Northwest

Why Go?

As much a state of mind as a geographical region, the northwest corner of the US is a land of subcultures and new trends, where evergreen trees frame snow-dusted volcanoes, and inspired ideas scribbled on the back of napkins become tomorrow's start-ups. You can't peel off the history in layers here, but you can gaze wistfully into the future in fast-moving, innovative cities such as Seattle and Portland, which are sprinkled with food carts, streetcars, microbreweries, green belts, coffee connoisseurs and weird urban sculpture.

Ever since the days of the Oregon Trail, the Northwest has had a hypnotic lure for risk-takers and dreamers; the metaphoric carrot still dangles. There's the air, so clean they ought to bottle it; the trees, older than many of Rome's Renaissance palaces; and the end-of-the-continent coastline, holding back the force of the world's largest ocean. Cowboys take note: it doesn't get much more 'wild' or 'west' than this.

When to Go

AJan–Mar Most reliable snow cover for skiing in the Cascades and beyond.

AMay Festival season: Portland Rose, International Film Festival and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

AJul–Sep The best hiking months, between the spring snowmelt and the first fall flurries.

Best Places to Eat

A Ned Ludd

A Chow

A Ox

A Sitka & Spruce

Best Places to Sleep

A Timberline Lodge

A Crater Lake Lodge

A Olympic Lights B&B

A Historic Davenport Hotel

Pacific Northwest Highlights

1 San Juan Islands Cycling and kayaking around the quieter corners.

2 Oregon Coast Exploring this gorgeous region, from scenic Astoria to balmy Port Orford.

3 Olympic National Park Admiring trees older than Europe's Renaissance castles.

4 Pike Place Market Watching the greatest outdoor show in the Pacific Northwest.

5 Portland Walking the green and serene neighborhoods, energized by beer, coffee and food-cart treats.

6 Crater Lake National Park Witnessing the impossibly deep-blue waters and scenic panoramas.

7 Bend Going mountain biking, rock climbing or skiing in this outdoor mecca.

8 Walla Walla Tasting sumptuous reds and whites in the surrounding wine regions.

History

Native American societies, including the Chinook and the Salish, had long-established coastal communities by the time Europeans arrived in the Pacific Northwest in the 18th century. Inland, on the arid plateaus between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, the Spokane, Nez Percé and other tribes thrived on seasonal migration between river valleys and temperate uplands.

Three hundred years after Columbus landed in the New World, Spanish and British explorers began probing the northern Pacific coast, seeking the fabled Northwest Passage. In 1792 Captain George Vancouver was the first explorer to sail the waters of Puget Sound, claiming British sovereignty over the entire region. At the same time, an American, Captain Robert Gray, found the mouth of the Columbia River. In 1805 the explorers Lewis and Clark crossed the Rockies and made their way down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, extending the US claim on the territory.

In 1824 the British Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Vancouver in Washington as headquarters for the Columbia region. This opened the door to waves of settlers, but had a devastating impact on the indigenous cultures, which were assailed by European diseases and alcohol.

In 1843 settlers at Champoeg, on the Willamette River south of Portland, voted to organize a provisional government independent of the Hudson’s Bay Company, thereby casting their lot with the US, which formally acquired the territory from the British by treaty in 1846. Over the next decade, some 53,000 settlers came to the Northwest via the 2000-mile Oregon Trail.

Arrival of the railroads set the region’s future. Agriculture and lumber became the pillars of the economy until 1914, when WWI and the opening of the Panama Canal brought increased trade to Pacific ports. Shipyards opened along Puget Sound, and the Boeing aircraft company set up shop near Seattle.

Big dam projects in the 1930s and ‘40s provided cheap hydroelectricity and irrigation. WWII offered another boost for aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding, and agriculture continued to thrive. In the postwar period, Washington’s population, especially around Puget Sound, grew to twice that of Oregon.

In the 1980s and ‘90s, the economic emphasis shifted with the rise of the high-tech industry, embodied by Microsoft in Seattle and Intel in Portland.

Hydroelectricity production and massive irrigation projects along the Columbia have threatened the river’s ecosystem in the past few decades, and logging has also left its scars. But the region has reinvigorated its eco-credentials by attracting some of the country’s most environmentally conscious companies, and its major cities are among the greenest in the US. It stands at the forefront of US efforts to tackle climate issues.

Local Culture

The stereotypical image of a Pacific Northwesterner is a casually dressed latte-sipping urbanite who drives a Prius, votes Democrat and walks around with an unwavering diet of Nirvana-derived indie rock programmed into their iPod. But, as with most fleeting regional generalizations, the reality is far more complex.

Noted for their sophisticated cafe culture and copious microbrew pubs, the urban hubs of Seattle and Portland are the Northwest’s most emblematic cities. But head east into the region’s drier and less verdant interior, and the cultural affiliations become increasingly more traditional. Here, strung along the Columbia River Valley or nestled amid the arid steppes of southeastern Washington, small towns host raucous rodeos, tourist centers promote cowboy culture, and a cup of coffee is served ‘straight up’ with none of the chai lattes and frappés that are par for the course in the bigger cities.

In contrast to the USA’s hardworking eastern seaboard, life out west is more casual and less frenetic. Ideally, Westerners would rather work to live than live to work. Indeed, with so much winter rain, the citizens of the Pacific Northwest will dredge up any excuse to shun the nine-to-five treadmill and hit the great outdoors a couple of hours (or even days) early. Witness the scene in late May and early June, when the first bright days of summer prompt a mass exodus of hikers and cyclists to make enthusiastically for the national parks and wilderness areas for which the region is justly famous.

8Getting There & Around

Air

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, aka ‘Sea-Tac,’ and Portland International Airport are the main airports for the region, serving many North American and several international destinations.

Boat

Washington State Ferries (www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) links Seattle with Bainbridge and Vashon Islands. Other WSF routes cross from Whidbey Island to Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, and from Anacortes through the San Juan Islands to Sidney, BC. Victoria Clipper (www.clippervacations.com) operates services from Seattle to Victoria, BC; ferries to Victoria also operate from Port Angeles. Alaska Marine Highway ferries (www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs) go from Bellingham, WA, to Alaska.

Bus

Greyhound (www.greyhound.com) provides service along the I-5 corridor from Bellingham in northern Washington down to Medford in southern Oregon, with connecting services across the US and Canada. East–west routes fan out toward Spokane, Yakima, the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco and Richland in Washington), Walla Walla and Pullman in Washington, and Hood River and Pendleton in Oregon. Private bus companies service most of the smaller towns and cities across the region, often connecting to Greyhound or Amtrak.

Car

Driving your own vehicle is by far the most convenient way of touring the Pacific Northwest. Major and minor rental agencies are commonplace throughout the region. I-5 is the major north–south artery. In Washington I-90 heads east from Seattle to Spokane and into Idaho. In Oregon I-84 branches east from Portland along the Columbia River Gorge to link up with Boise in Idaho.

Train

Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) runs train services north (to Vancouver, Canada) and south (to California), linking Seattle, Portland and other major urban centers with the Cascades and Coast Starlight routes. The famous Empire Builder heads east to Chicago from Seattle and Portland (joining up in Spokane).

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IN ...

Four Days

Hit the ground running in Seattle to see the main sights, including Pike Place Market and the Seattle Center. After a couple of days, head down to Portland, where you can do like the locals do and cycle to bars, cafes, food carts and shops.

One Week

Add a couple of highlights such as Mt Rainier, Olympic National Park, the Columbia River Gorge or Mt Hood. Or explore the spectacular Oregon Coast (try the Cannon Beach area) or the historic seaport of Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula.

Two Weeks

Crater Lake is unforgettable, and can be combined with a trip to Ashland and its Shakespeare Festival. Don’t miss the ethereal San Juan Islands up near the watery border with Canada, or Bend, the region’s biggest outdoor draw. If you like wine, Washington’s Walla Walla is your mecca, while the Willamette Valley is Oregon’s Pinot Noir paradise.

Washington

Washington state is the heart of the Pacific Northwest. With that title comes everything you'd hope for, from the lush, green Olympic Peninsula to the white peaks of the Cascade Mountains and the crisp, whale-surrounded San Juan Islands. Head east and you'll see another side of the state that's more cowboy than boutique, where the world gets much of its apples and the skies go on forever. The biggest urban jolt is Seattle, but other corners such as Spokane, Bellingham and Olympia are gaining sophistication by the day.

WASHINGTON FACTS

Nickname Evergreen State

Population 7.3 million

Area 71,362 sq miles

Capital city Olympia (population 49,218)

Other cities Seattle (population 668,342), Spokane (population 212,052), Bellingham (population 83,365)

Sales tax 6.5%

Birthplace of Singer and actor Bing Crosby (1903–77), guitarist Jimi Hendrix (1942–70)po, computer geek Bill Gates (b 1955), political commentator Glen Beck (b 1964), musical icon Kurt Cobain (1967–94)

Home of Mt St Helens, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon.com, Evergreen State College

Politics Democrat governors since 1985

Famous for Grunge rock, coffee, Grey’s Anatomy, Twilight, volcanoes, apples, wine, precipitation

State vegetable Walla Walla sweet onion

Driving distances Seattle to Portland,174 miles; Spokane to Port Angeles, 365 miles

Seattle

Combine the brains of Portland, OR, with the beauty of Vancouver, BC, and you’ll get something approximating Seattle. It’s hard to believe that the Pacific Northwest’s largest metropolis was considered a ‘secondary’ US city until the 1980s, when a combination of bold innovation and unabashed individualism turned it into one of the dot-com era’s biggest trendsetters, spearheaded by an unlikely alliance of coffee-sipping computer geeks and navel-gazing musicians.

Surprisingly elegant in places and coolly edgy in others, Seattle is notable for its strong neighborhoods, top-rated university, monstrous traffic jams and proactive city mayors who harbor green credentials. Although it has fermented its own pop culture in recent times, it has yet to create an urban mythology befitting Paris or New York, but it does have ‘the Mountain.’ Better known as Rainier, Seattle’s unifying symbol is a 14,411ft mass of rock and ice, which acts as a perennial reminder to the city’s huddled masses that raw wilderness, and potential volcanic catastrophe, are never far away.

Seattle

1Top Sights

1Chihuly Garden & GlassA2

2Klondike Gold Rush National Historical ParkE8

3Museum of Pop CultureB2

4Olympic Sculpture ParkA3

5Pike Place MarketC5

6Seattle Art MuseumD6

7Space NeedleA2

1Sights

8Columbia CenterE6

9Hammering ManC6

10Occidental ParkD7

11Pacific Science CenterA3

12PergolaD7

13Seattle AquariumC6

14Seattle CenterA1

15Smith TowerE7

16Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American ExperienceF8

2Activities, Courses & Tours

17Seattle Cycling ToursD4

18Seattle Free Walking ToursC5

4Sleeping

19Ace HotelB4

20Belltown InnB4

21City Hostel SeattleB4

22Hotel FiveC3

23Hotel MonacoD6

24Maxwell HotelA1

25Moore HotelC4

26Thompson SeattleC5

5Eating

27Crumpet ShopC5

28Le PichetC5

29Piroshky PiroshkyC5

30Salumi Artisan Cured MeatsE8

31Sitka & SpruceE4

32TavolàtaB4

Upper Bar FerdinandG4

6Drinking & Nightlife

33Clouburst BrewingB4

34Elysian Brewing CompanyG4

35Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee HouseF8

36Zeitgeist CoffeeE8

37Zig Zag CaféC5

3Entertainment

38A Contemporary TheatreD5

39Big PictureA4

40CrocodileB4

41Intiman Theatre FestivalA1

42Neumo'sG4

43Seattle Children's TheaterA2

44SIFF Film CenterA1

7Shopping

45Chophouse RowG4

46Elliott Bay Book CompanyG4

1Sights

1Downtown

oPike Place MarketMARKET

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.pikeplacemarket.org; 85 Pike St; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun; dWestlake)S

A cavalcade of noise, smells, personalities, banter and urban theater sprinkled liberally around a spatially challenged waterside strip, Pike Place Market is Seattle in a bottle. In operation since 1907 and still as soulful today as it was on day one, this wonderfully local experience highlights the city for what it really is: all-embracing, eclectic and proudly unique. A brand-new expansion of the market infrastructure adds vendor space, weather-protected common areas, extra parking, and housing for low-income seniors.

oSeattle Art MuseumMUSEUM

(SAM; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-654-3210; www.seattleartmuseum.org; 1300 1st Ave; adult/student $24.95/14.95; h10am-5pm Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9pm Thu; dUniversity St)

While not comparable with the big guns in New York and Chicago, Seattle Art Museum is no slouch. Always re-curating its art collection with new acquisitions and imported temporary exhibitions, it's known for its extensive Native American artifacts and work from the local Northwest school, in particular by Mark Tobey (1890–1976). Modern American art is also well represented, and the museum gets some exciting traveling exhibitions (including Yayoi Kusama's infinity mirrors).

oOlympic Sculpture ParkPARK, SCULPTURE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 2901 Western Ave; hsunrise-sunset; g13)F

This smart urban-renewal project and outpost of the Seattle Art Museum was inaugurated in 2007 to widespread local approval. The terraced park is landscaped over railway tracks and overlooks Puget Sound with the distant Olympic Mountains winking on the horizon. Joggers and dog walkers meander daily through its zigzagging paths, enjoying over 20 pieces of modern sculpture.

1International District

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American ExperienceMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-623-5124; www.wingluke.org; 719 S King St; adult/child $17/10; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; j7th & Jackson/Chinatown)

The beautifully unique Wing Luke examines Asia Pacific–American culture, focusing on prickly issues such as Chinese settlement in the 1880s and Japanese internment camps during WWII. Recent temporary exhibits include 'A Day in the Life of Bruce Lee.' There are also art exhibits and a preserved immigrant apartment. Guided tours are available; the first Thursday of the month is free (with extended hours until 8pm).

1Seattle Center

Seattle CenterLANDMARK

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-684-8582; www.seattlecenter.com; 400 Broad St; bSeattle Center)

The remnants of the futuristic 1962 World's Fair hosted by Seattle and subtitled Century 21 Exposition are still visible over 50 years later at the Seattle Center. The fair was a major success, attracting 10 million visitors, running a profit (rare for the time) and inspiring a skin-crawlingly kitsch Elvis movie, It Happened at the World's Fair (1963). Thanks to regular upgrades, the complex has retained its luster and contains Seattle's highest concentration of A-list sights.

oSpace NeedleLANDMARK

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-905-2100; www.spaceneedle.com; 400 Broad St; adult/child $22/14; h9:30am-11pm Mon-Thu, to 11:30pm Fri & Sat, 9am-11pm Sun; bSeattle Center)

This streamlined, modern-before-its-time tower built for the 1962 World’s Fair has been the city’s defining symbol for over 50 years. The needle anchors the complex now called the Seattle Center and draws over one million annual visitors to its flying saucer–like observation deck and pricey rotating restaurant. Purchase a combination ticket with Chihuly Garden & Glass for $49.

oMuseum of Pop CultureMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-770-2700; www.mopop.org; 325 5th Ave N; adult/child $25/16; h10am-7pm Jun-Aug, to 5pm Sep-May; bSeattle Center)

The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP, the 'Experience Music Project') is an inspired marriage between super-modern architecture and legendary rock-and-roll history that sprang from the imagination (and pocket) of Microsoft co-creator Paul Allen. Inside its avant-garde frame, designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry, you can tune into the famous sounds of Seattle (with an obvious bias toward Jimi Hendrix and grunge) or attempt to imitate the masters in the Interactive Sound Lab.

oChihuly Garden & GlassMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-753-4940; www.chihulygardenandglass.com; 305 Harrison St; adult/child $24/14; h10am-8pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat; bSeattle Center)

Opened in 2012 and reinforcing Seattle’s position as the Venice of North America, this exquisite exposition of the life and work of dynamic local sculptor Dale Chihuly is possibly the finest collection of curated glass art you'll ever see. It shows off Chihuly's creative designs in a suite of interconnected dark and light rooms before depositing you in an airy glass atrium and – finally – a landscaped garden in the shadow of the Space Needle. Glassblowing demonstrations are a highlight.

1Capitol Hill

Millionaires mingle with goth musicians in Capitol Hill, a well-heeled but liberal neighborhood rightly renowned for its fringe theater, alternative music scene, indie coffee bars and vital gay and lesbian culture. You can take your dog for a herbal bath here, go shopping for ethnic crafts on Broadway, or blend in (or not) with the young punks and old hippies on the eclectic Pike–Pine corridor. The junction of Broadway and E John St is the nexus from which to navigate the quarter’s various restaurants, brewpubs, boutiques and dingy (but not dirty) dive bars.

Fremont

Fremont pitches young hipsters among old hippies in an unlikely urban alliance and vies with Capitol Hill as Seattle’s most irreverent neighborhood. It’s full of junk shops, urban sculpture and a healthy sense of its own ludicrousness.

Fremont TrollSCULPTURE

( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr N 36th St & Troll Ave; g62)

The Fremont Troll is an outlandish sculpture that lurks beneath the north end of the Aurora Bridge at N 36th St. The troll's creators – artists Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead – won a competition sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council in 1990. The 18ft-high cement figure snacking on a Volkswagen Beetle is a favorite place for late-night beer drinking.

Waiting for the InterurbanMONUMENT

( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr N 34th St & Fremont Ave N; g62)

Seattle’s most popular piece of public art, Waiting for the Interurban, is cast in recycled aluminum and depicts six people waiting for a train that never comes. Occasionally locals will lovingly decorate the people in outfits corresponding to a special event, the weather, someone’s birthday, a Mariners win – whatever. Check out the human face on the dog; it's Armen Stepanian, once Fremont's honorary mayor, who made the mistake of objecting to the sculpture.

1The U District

U-dub, a neighborhood of young, studious out-of-towners, places the beautiful, leafy University of Washington ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.washington.edu; dUniversity of Washington) campus next to the shabbier ‘Ave,’ an eclectic strip of cheap boutiques, dive bars and ethnic restaurants.

Burke MuseumMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-543-5590; www.burkemuseum.org; cnr 17th Ave NE & NE 45th St; adult/child $10/7.50, 1st Thu of month free; h10am-5pm, to 8pm 1st Thu of month; g70)

An interesting hybrid museum covering both natural history and indigenous cultures of the Pacific Rim. On the entry-level floor is, arguably, Washington's best natural-history collection, focusing on the geology and evolution of the state. It guards an impressive stash of fossils, including a 20,000-year-old saber-toothed cat. Downstairs is the 'Pacific Voices' exhibition, with cultural artifacts amassed from around the Pacific Rim. The centerpiece is an excellent Pacific Northwest collection with some dramatic Kwakwaka'wakw masks from British Columbia.

1Ballard

A former seafaring community with a strong Scandinavian heritage, Ballard still feels like a small town engulfed by a bigger city. Traditionally gritty, no-nonsense and uncommercial, it’s slowly being condo-ized, but remains a good place to down a microbrew or see a live band.

oHiram M Chittenden LocksCANAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; 3015 NW 54th St; h7am-9pm; g40)F

Seattle shimmers like an impressionist painting on sunny days at the Hiram M Chittenden Locks. Here, the freshwaters of Lake Washington and Lake Union drops 22ft into saltwater Puget Sound. You can stand inches away and watch the boats rise or sink (depending on direction). Construction of the canal and locks began in 1911; today 100,000 boats pass through them annually. You can view fish-ladder activity through underwater glass panels, stroll through botanical gardens and visit a small museum.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

HIGHER THAN THE SPACE NEEDLE

Columbia CenterVIEWPOINT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-386-5564; www.skyviewobservatory.com; 701 5th Ave; adult/child $14.75/9; h10am-8pm; dPioneer Sq)

Everyone rushes for the iconic Space Needle, but it's not the tallest Seattle viewpoint. That honor goes to the sleek, tinted-windowed Columbia Center at 932ft high with 76 floors. An elevator in the lobby takes you up to the free-access 40th floor, where there's a Starbucks. From here you must take another elevator to the plush Sky View Observatory on the 73rd floor, from where you can look down on ferries, cars, islands, roofs and – ha, ha – the Space Needle!

2Activities

Cycling

Despite frequent rain and hilly terrain, cycling is still a major form of both transportation and recreation in the Seattle area.

In the city, commuter bike lanes are painted green on many streets, city trails are well maintained and the friendly and enthusiastic cycling community is happy to share the road. The wildly popular 20-mile Burke-Gilman Trail winds from Ballard to Log Boom Park in Kenmore on Seattle’s Eastside. There, it connects with the 11-mile-long Sammamish River Trail, which winds past the Chateau Ste Michelle winery in Woodinville before terminating at Redmond’s Marymoor Park.

Other good places to cycle are around Green Lake (congested), at Alki Beach (sublime) or, closer to downtown, through scenic Myrtle Edwards Park.

Anyone planning on cycling in Seattle should pick up a copy of the Seattle Bicycling Guide Map, available online and at bike shops.

For bicycle rentals and tours, try Recycled Cycles ( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-547-4491; www.recycledcycles.com; 1007 NE Boat St; rental per day from $40; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 8pm Thu, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun; g70) or Seattle Cycling Tours ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-356-5803; www.seattle-cycling-tours.com; 714 Pike St; tours from $55; g10).

Watersports

Seattle is not just on a network of cycling trails. With Venice-like proportions of downtown water, it is also strafed with kayak-friendly marine trails. The Lakes to Locks Water Trail links Lake Sammamish with Lake Washington, Lake Union and – via the Hiram M Chittenden Locks – Puget Sound. For launching sites and maps, check the website of the Washington Water Trails Association (www.wwta.org).

Northwest Outdoor CenterKAYAKING

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-281-9694; www.nwoc.com; 2100 Westlake Ave N; rental per hour kayak/SUP $16/18; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun Apr-Sep, closed Mon & Tue Oct-Mar; g62)

Located on the west side of Lake Union, this place rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) and offers tours and instruction in sea and white-water kayaking.

DON'T MISS

PIONEER SQUARE

Pioneer Sq is Seattle’s oldest quarter, which isn’t saying much if you’re visiting from Rome or London. Most of the buildings here date from just after the 1889 fire (a devastating inferno that destroyed 25 city blocks, including the entire central business district), and are referred to architecturally as Richardsonian Romanesque, a redbrick revivalist style in vogue at the time. In the early years, the neighborhood’s boom-bust fortunes turned its arterial road, Yesler Way, into the original ‘skid row’ – an allusion to the skidding logs that were pulled downhill to Henry Yesler’s pier-side mill. When the timber industry fell on hard times, the road became a haven for the homeless and its name subsequently became a byword for poverty-stricken urban enclaves countrywide.Thanks to a concerted public effort, the neighborhood avoided being laid to waste by the demolition squads in the 1960s and is now protected in the Pioneer Sq–Skid Rd Historic District.

The quarter today mixes the historic with the seedy, harboring art galleries, cafes and nightlife. Its most iconic building is the 42-story Smith Tower ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-622-4004; www.smithtower.com; 506 2nd Ave; observatory tickets from $12; h10am-10pm; dPioneer Sq), completed in 1914 and, until 1931, the tallest building west of the Mississippi. Other highlights include the 1909 Pergola ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Yesler Way & James St; dPioneer Sq), a decorative iron shelter reminiscent of a Parisian Metro station, and Occidental Park ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; btwn S Washington & S Main Sts; jOccidental Mall), containing totem poles carved by Chinook artist Duane Pasco.

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-553-3000; www.nps.gov/klse; 319 2nd Ave S; h10am-5pm; jOccidental Mall) is a city-based visitor-center outpost. It shows off exhibits, photos and news clippings from the 1897 Klondike gold rush, when a Seattle-on-steroids acted as a fueling depot for prospectors bound for the Yukon in Canada.

TTours

oSeattle Free Walking ToursWALKING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.seattlefreewalkingtours.org)F

A nonprofit set up by a couple of world travelers and Seattle residents in 2012 who were impressed with the free walking tours offered in various European cities. An intimate two-hour walk takes in Pike Pl, the waterfront and Pioneer Square. Each tour has different starting times and meeting places; check online.

Seattle by FootWALKING

(%206-508-7017; www.seattlebyfoot.com; per person from $30)

Runs a handful of tours, including the practically essential (this being Seattle) Coffee Crawl, which will ply you with caffeine while explaining the nuances of latte art and dishing the inside story of the rise (and rise) of Starbucks. The tour costs $30 including samples; registration starts at 9:50am Thursday to Sunday at the Hammering Man ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; dUniversity St) outside the Seattle Art Museum.

SEATTLE CITYPASS

If you’re going to be in Seattle for a while and plan on seeing its premier attractions, consider buying a Seattle CityPASS (www.citypass.com/seattle; $144/97 per adult/child aged four to 12). Good for nine days, the pass gets you entry into five sights: the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruises Seattle Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture or Woodland Park Zoo, Pacific Science Center or Chihuly Garden & Glass. You wind up saving about 45% on admission costs and you never have to stand in line. You can buy one at any of the venues or online.

zFestivals & Events

Seattle International Film FestivalFILM

(SIFF; www.siff.net; hMay-Jun)

Held over three weeks from mid-May to early June, this prestigious film festival uses a half-dozen cinemas to screen more than 400 movies. Major venues include the Egyptian Cinema in Capitol Hill, the SIFF Cinema Uptown ( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-285-1022; 511 Queen Anne Ave N; g13) in Lower Queen Anne and its own dedicated SIFF Film Center ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-324-9996; www.siff.net; Northwest Rooms, Seattle Center; bSeattle Center) in the Seattle Center.

SeafairFAIR

(www.seafair.com; hJun-Aug)

Huge crowds attend this festival, held on the water from mid-June to mid-August, with a pirate's landing, a torchlight parade, an air show, a music marathon and even a Milk Carton Derby (look it up!).

BumbershootPERFORMING ARTS

(www.bumbershoot.com; 3-day pass from $249; hSep)

A fair few people – Seattleites or otherwise – would say that this is Seattle's finest festival, with major arts and cultural events at the Seattle Center on the Labor Day weekend in September. Bank on live music, comedy, theater, visual arts and dance, but also bank on crowds and hotels stuffed to capacity. Book well in advance!

4Sleeping

Reserve ahead in summer, when hotels book up and prices tend to skyrocket.

City Hostel SeattleHOSTEL$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-706-3255; www.hostelseattle.com; 2327 2nd Ave; dm/d from $33/99; niW; dWestlake)

This well-located, boutique 'art hostel' has colorful murals painted by local artists splashed on the walls of every room. There's also a common room, hot tub, in-house movie theater and all-you-can-eat breakfast. Dorms have four or six beds and some are female only. There are also several private rooms, some with shared bathroom.

Ace HotelHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-448-4721; www.acehotel.com; 2423 1st Ave; r with shared/private bath from $129/239; pnaW#; g13)

The original locale of the highly stylized Ace Hotel chain, this place sports nouveau-industrial decor, sliding-barn-door bathrooms and Pendleton wool blankets. True to its original ethos, the hotel is economical but trendy, especially if you don't mind sharing a bathroom. Enhancing the hipster appeal, some rooms come with record players.

Hotel FiveBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-448-0924; www.hotelfiveseattle.com; 2200 5th Ave; r from $212; pnaW; g13)

This trendy hotel mixes retro '70s furniture with sharp color accents to produce something dazzlingly modern. The ultra-comfortable beds are a valid cure for insomnia, while the large reception area invites lingering, especially when they lay out the complimentary cupcakes and coffee in the late afternoon.

Look out for regular deals, including 'stay two nights and get the third night free.'

Belltown InnHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-529-3700; www.belltown-inn.com; 2301 3rd Ave; r from $206; naiW; dWestlake)

The reliable Belltown Inn is a popular midrange place to stow your suitcase – good on the basics, if a little light on embellishments. That said, there's a roof terrace, free bike rentals and some rooms have kitchenettes. Both downtown and the Seattle Center are within easy walking distance.

Moore HotelHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-448-4851; www.moorehotel.com; 1926 2nd Ave; d with shared/private bath from $99/117; W; dWestlake)

Old-world and allegedly haunted, the hip and whimsical Moore is undoubtedly central Seattle's most reliable bargain, offering fixed annual prices for its large stash of simple but cool rooms. Bonuses – aside from the dynamite location – are the cute ground-floor cafe, and zebra- and leopard-skin patterned carpets.

oHotel MonacoBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-621-1770; www.monaco-seattle.com; 1101 4th Ave; d/ste $339/399; piW#; dUniversity St)S

Whimsical and with dashes of European elegance, the downtown Monaco is a classic Kimpton hotel whose rooms live up to the hints given off in the illustrious lobby. Bed down amid the bold, graphic decor and reap the perks (complimentary bikes, fitness center, free wine tasting, in-room yoga mats).

oMaxwell HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-286-0629; www.themaxwellhotel.com; 300 Roy St; r from $319; paiWs; gRapid Ride D-Line)

Located in Lower Queen Anne, the Maxwell has a huge designer-chic lobby with a floor mosaic and funky furnishings that welcomes you with aplomb. Upstairs the slickness continues in 139 gorgeously modern rooms with hardwood floors and Scandinavian bedding. There’s a small pool, a gym, free bike rentals and complimentary cupcakes.

Thompson SeattleHOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-623-4600; www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/thompson-seattle; 110 Stewart St; d $309; bus, light rail University Street Station)

The Thompson Hotel has been a hot spot among tourists and locals alike since it opened early in the summer of 2016. Designed by the famed local Olson Kundig architects, the boutique hotel is sleek and modern, and offers expansive views of Puget Sound.

DON'T MISS

DISCOVERY PARK

oDiscovery ParkPARK

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/discovery.htm; h4am-11:30pm; pc#; g33)F

Hard to beat on a sunny spring day, this former military installation has been transformed into a wild coastal park, laced with walking trails and offering glimpses of the Olympic mountains across the water. Discovery Park wasn’t inaugurated until 1973 and the American military only left the area in 2012. It's the largest green space in the city, with 534 acres of forest, meadows, sand dunes and beaches, providing a welcome escape for locals and a vital corridor for wildlife.

5Eating

The best budget meals are to be found in Pike Place Market. Take your pick from fresh produce, baked goods, deli items and takeout ethnic foods.

oSalumi Artisan Cured MeatsSANDWICHES$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-621-8772; www.salumicuredmeats.com; 309 3rd Ave S; sandwiches $10-14; h11am-1:30pm Mon for takeout only, to 3:30pm Tue-Fri; dInternational District/Chinatown)

With a shopfront as wide as a smart car and a following as large as the Seattle Mariners, Salumi is a well-known vortex of queues. But it's worth the wait for the legendary Italian-quality salami and cured-meat sandwiches (grilled lamb, pork shoulder, meatballs) that await you at the counter. Grab one and go! Fresh homemade gnocchi is available most Tuesdays.

oPiroshky PiroshkyBAKERY$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.piroshkybakery.com; 1908 Pike Pl; snacks $3-6; h8am-6pm; dWestlake)

Piroshky knocks out its delectable sweet and savory Russian pies and pastries in a space about the size of a walk-in closet. Get the savory smoked-salmon pâté or the sauerkraut with cabbage and onion, and follow it with the chocolate-cream hazelnut roll or a fresh rhubarb piroshki.

oFonda la CatrinaMEXICAN$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-767-2787; www.fondalacatrina.com; 5905 Airport Way S; mains $9-14; h11am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri, 10am-11pm Sat, 10am-10pm Sun; g124)

The search to find a decent Mexican restaurant in Seattle comes to an end in Georgetown in the busy confines of Fonda la Catrina, where Day of the Dead iconography shares digs with Diego Rivera–like murals and – more importantly – fabulous food. Offering way beyond the standard taco-burrito-enchilada trilogy, this place puts soul into its Latino cooking.

The highlight? One of the best moles poblanos this side of the Rio Grande.

Crumpet ShopBAKERY$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-682-1598; www.thecrumpetshop.com; 1503 1st Ave; crumpets $3-6; h7am-3pm Mon, Wed & Thu, to 4pm Fri-Sun; dWestlake)S

The treasured British crumpet has been given a distinct American twist with lavish toppings such as pesto, wild salmon or lemon curd at this casual Pike Place Market eatery, family owned and operated for 40 years. Organic ingredients make it very Pacific Northwest, though there's Marmite for homesick Brits.

oTavolàtaITALIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-838-8008; 2323 2nd Ave; pasta dishes $17-21, mains $24-28; h5-11pm; g13)

Owned by top Seattle chef Ethan Stowell, Tavolàta is a dinner-only, Italian-inspired eatery emphasizing homemade pasta dishes. Keeping things simple with venison-stuffed ravioli and linguine nero (clams with black pasta), the results are as good as those found in Italy – and there's no praise finer than that!

oToulouse PetitCAJUN, CREOLE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-432-9069; www.toulousepetit.com; 601 Queen Anne Ave N; dinner mains $17-45; h9am-2am Mon-Fri, from 8am Sat & Sun; g13)

Hailed for its generous happy hours, cheap brunches and rollicking atmosphere, this perennially busy Queen Anne eatery has the common touch. The menu is large and varied, offering choices such as blackened rib-eye steak, freshwater gulf prawns and house-made gnocchi with artichoke hearts.

Le PichetFRENCH$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-256-1499; www.lepichetseattle.com; 1933 1st Ave; dinner mains $21-24; h8am-midnight; dWestlake)

Say bonjour to Le Pichet, just up from Pike Place Market, a cute and very French bistro with pâtés, cheeses, wine, chocolat and a refined Parisian feel. Dinner features delicacies such as wild-boar shoulder or foie gras with duck eggs. The specialty is a roast chicken ($45) – just know that there's an hour's wait when you order one.

RevelKOREAN, AMERICAN$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-547-2040; www.revelseattle.com; 403 N 36th St; small plates $11-18; h11am-2pm & 5-10pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm & 5-10pm Sat & Sun; g40)

This modern Korean-American crossover restaurant (with a bit of French influence thrown in) has quickly established itself as a big name on the Seattle eating scene thanks, in part, to its simple, shareable plates. Of note are the pork-belly pancakes, the short-rib dumplings and the various seasonal hot pots, all of which go down well with a cocktail or two.

oSitka & SpruceMODERN AMERICAN$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-324-0662; www.sitkaandspruce.com; 1531 Melrose Ave; plates $15-35; h11:30am-2pm & 5-10pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm & 5-11pm Sat, 10am-2pm & 5-9pm Sun; v; g10)

The king of all locavore restaurants, Sitka & Spruce was the pilot project of celebrated Seattle chef Matt Dillon. It's since become something of an institution and a trendsetter, with its small country-kitchen decor and a constantly changing menu concocted with ingredients from Dillon's own Vashon Island farm. Sample items include house-made charcuterie, conica morels or roasted-asparagus-and-liver parfait.

Cascina SpinasseITALIAN$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-251-7673; www.spinasse.com; 1531 14th Ave; mains $26-45; h5-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat; g11)

Successfully re-creating the feel of an Italian trattoria, Spinasse specializes in the cuisine of northern Italy's Piedmont region. This means dishes like agnolotti (veal-stuffed pasta pockets) in beef broth, veal in tuna sauce, and top-notch risotto (from the region famous for its arborio rice). The finely curated wine list includes the kings and queens of Piedmontese reds: Barolo and Barbaresco.

Upper Bar FerdinandAMERICAN$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-693-2434; www.barferdinandseattle.com; 1424 11th Ave; mains $45; h4-11pm Tue-Fri, 1-11pm Sat)

Homey, rustic, cozy, charming and classic all at once, Ferdinand serves locally sourced, Asian-inspired food cooked by fire and paired with a carefully curated wine selection. Located a few blocks from the original Bar Ferdinand bottle shop and wine bar, Upper Bar Ferdinand sits in Chophouse Row and offers a unique take on a wine bar with its innovative food.

SEATTLE FOR CHILDREN

Make a beeline for the Seattle Center, preferably on the monorail, where food carts, street entertainers, fountains and green spaces will make the day fly by. One essential stop is the Pacific Science Center ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-443-2001; www.pacificsciencecenter.org; 200 2nd Ave N; exhibits only adult/child $19.75/14.75; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun; c; bSeattle Center), which entertains and educates with virtual reality exhibits, laser shows, holograms, an Imax theater and a planetarium. Parents won’t be bored either.

Downtown on Pier 59, Seattle Aquarium ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-386-4300; www.seattleaquarium.org; 1483 Alaskan Way; adult/child $24.95/16.95; h9:30am-5pm; c; dUniversity St) is a fun way to learn about the natural world of the Pacific Northwest. Even better is Woodland Park Zoo ( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-548-2500; www.zoo.org; 5500 Phinney Ave N; adult/child May-Sep $20.95/12.95, Oct-Apr $14.95/9.95; h9:30am-6pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr; c; g5) in the Green Lake neighborhood, one of Seattle’s greatest tourist attractions and consistently rated as one of the top 10 zoos in the country.

6Drinking & Nightlife

It’s hard to complain too much about Seattle’s crappy weather when the two best forms of rainy-day solace – coffee and beer – are available in such abundance. No doubt about it, Seattle’s an inviting place to enjoy a drink, whatever your poison. Adding fresh flavors to an already complex brew is a new obsession with micro-distilleries and cider houses.

oFremont Brewing CompanyBREWERY

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-420-2407; www.fremontbrewing.com; 3409 Woodland Park Ave N; h11am-9pm; c#; g62)S

This relatively new microbrewery, in keeping with current trends, sells its wares via an attached tasting room rather than a full-blown pub. Not only is the beer divine (try the seasonal bourbon barrel-aged Abominable), the industrial-chic tasting room and ‘urban beer garden’ are highly inclusive spaces, where pretty much everyone in the 'hood comes to hang out at communal tables.

oZeitgeist CoffeeCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-583-0497; www.zeitgeistcoffee.com; 171 S Jackson St; h6am-7pm Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm Sat, 8am-6pm Sun; W; jOccidental Mall)

Possibly Seattle's best (if also busiest) indie coffee bar, Zeitgeist brews smooth doppio macchiatos to go with its sweet almond croissants and other luscious baked goods. The atmosphere is trendy industrial, with brick walls and large windows for people-watching. Soups, salads and sandwiches are also on offer.

oBlue MoonBAR

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-675-9116; www.bluemoonseattle.wordpress.com; 712 NE 45th St; h2pm-2am Mon-Fri, noon-2am Sat & Sun; g74)

A legendary counterculture dive that first opened in 1934 to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition, Blue Moon makes much of its former literary patrons – including Dylan Thomas and Allen Ginsberg. The place is agreeably gritty and unpredictable, with graffiti carved into the seats and punk poets likely to stand up and start pontificating at any moment. Frequent live music.

Noble FirBAR

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-420-7425; www.thenoblefir.com; 5316 Ballard Ave NW; h4pm-midnight Tue-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat, 1-9pm Sun; g40)

Almost qualifying as a travel bookstore as well as a bar, Noble Fir’s highly curated, hops-heavy beer list might fill you with enough liquid courage to plan that hair-raising trip into the Amazon, or even just a trek around Ballard. The bright, laid-back bar has a nook given over to travel books and maps with packing cases on which to rest your drinks.

Elysian Brewing CompanyMICROBREWERY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-860-1920; www.elysianbrewing.com; 1221 E Pike St; h11:30am-2am Mon-Fri, noon-2am Sat & Sun; jBroadway & Pine)

Elysian Brewing’s Immortal IPA personifies the strong, bitter ‘hop-forward’ beers that have become part of craft-beer folklore in the Pacific Northwest, and at 6.3% alcohol by volume, it won’t take many to liberally loosen your tongue. Despite being bought out by Anheuser-Busch in January 2015, Elysian maintains several popular Seattle pubs, including this one (its 1996 original) in Capitol Hill.

Zig Zag CaféCOCKTAIL BAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-625-1146; www.zigzagseattle.com; 1501 Western Ave; cocktails from $10; h5pm-2am; dUniversity St)

If you're writing a research project on Seattle's culinary history, you'll need to reserve a chapter for the Zig Zag Café. For serious cocktails, this place is legendary – this is the bar that repopularized gin-based Jazz Age cocktail 'The Last Word' in the early 2000s. The drink went viral and the Zig Zag's nattily attired mixers were rightly hailed as the city's finest alchemists.

Cloudburst BrewingMICROBREWERY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-602-6061; www.cloudburstbrew.com; 2116 Western Ave; h2-10pm Wed-Fri, noon-10pm Sat, to 8pm Sun)

The brainchild of former experimental brewer at Elysian Brewing, Steve Luke, Cloudburst Brewing has become a Seattle favorite. Replicating the success of Luke's past brewing creations, Cloudburst Brewing features hoppy beers with sassy names, and the bare-bones tasting room is always packed to the gills with beer fans who want to support craft beer in Seattle.

Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee HouseCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-515-4000; www.panamahotel.net; 607 S Main St; tea from $5; h8am-9pm; j5th & Jackson/Japantown)

The intensely atmospheric teahouse inside the historic Panama Hotel has such a thoroughly back-in-time feel that you'll be reluctant to pull out your laptop (although there is wi-fi). It's in a National Treasure–designated 1910 building containing the only remaining Japanese bathhouse in the US, and doubles as a memorial to the neighborhood's Japanese residents forced into internment camps during WWII.

3Entertainment

Consult The Stranger, Seattle Weekly or the daily papers for listings. Tickets for big events are available at TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

oCrocodileLIVE MUSIC

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-441-4618; www.thecrocodile.com; 2200 2nd Ave; g13)

Nearly old enough to be called a Seattle institution, the Crocodile is a clamorous 560-capacity music venue that first opened in 1991, just in time to grab the coattails of the grunge explosion. Everyone who’s anyone in Seattle’s alt-music scene has since played here, including a famous occasion in 1992 when Nirvana appeared unannounced, supporting Mudhoney.

oA Contemporary TheatreTHEATER

(ACT; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-292-7676; www.acttheatre.org; 700 Union St; dUniversity St)

One of the three big theater companies in the city, the ACT fills its $30-million home at Kreielsheimer Pl with performances by Seattle's best thespians and occasional big-name actors. Terraced seating surrounds a central stage and the interior has gorgeous architectural embellishments.

Big PictureCINEMA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-256-0566; www.thebigpicture.net; 2505 1st Ave; h2pm-midnight)

It's easy to miss Big Picture when exploring Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. For those in the know, it's an 'underground' cinema experience with affordable tickets of first-run screenings in an intimate setting. Order a cocktail from the bar, and pay for another to be delivered mid-screening. You can also linger in the cozy bar area before or after your showing.

Neumo'sLIVE MUSIC

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-709-9442; www.neumos.com; 925 E Pike St; jBroadway & Pine)

This punk, hip-hop and alternative-music joint is, along with the Crocodile in Belltown, one of Seattle's most revered small music venues. Its storied list of former performers is too long to include, but, if they're cool and passing through Seattle, they've probably played here. The audience space can get hot and sweaty, and even smelly, but that's rock and roll.

Tractor TavernLIVE MUSIC

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-789-3599; www.tractortavern.com; 5213 Ballard Ave NW; tickets $8-20; h8pm-2am; g40)

One of Seattle's premier venues for folk and acoustic music, the Tractor books local songwriters and regional bands, plus quality touring acts. Music runs toward country, rockabilly, folk, bluegrass and old-time. It’s an intimate place with a small stage and great sound; occasional square dancing is frosting on the cake.

On the BoardsDANCE, THEATER

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-217-9888; www.ontheboards.org; 100 W Roy St; g13)

The place for avant-garde performance art, the nonprofit On the Boards makes its home at the intimate Behnke Center for Contemporary Performance and showcases some innovative and occasionally weird dance and music.

Intiman Theatre FestivalTHEATER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-441-7178; www.intiman.org; 201 Mercer St; tickets $20-50; c; bSeattle Center)

Beloved theater company based at the Cornish Playhouse in the Seattle Center. Artistic director Andrew Russell curates magnificent stagings of Shakespeare and Ibsen as well as work by emerging artists. Productions run from July to October.

Seattle Children’s TheaterTHEATER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-441-3322; www.sct.org; 201 Thomas St; tickets from $22; hThu-Sun Sep-May; c; bSeattle Center)

This highly esteemed theater group has two auditoriums in its Seattle Center campus. Friday and Saturday matinees and evening performances run September through May. There's also a Drama School summer season.

GRUNGE – PUNK'S WEST COAST NIRVANA

Synthesizing Generation X angst with a questionable approach to personal hygiene, the music popularly categorized as ‘grunge’ first dive-bombed onto Seattle’s scene in the early 1990s like a clap of thunder on a typically wet and overcast afternoon. The anger had been fermenting for years – not purely in Seattle but also in its sprawling satellite towns and suburbs. Some said it was inspired by the weather, others cited the Northwest’s geographic isolation. It didn’t matter which. Armed with dissonant chords and dark, sometimes ironic lyrics, a disparate collection of bands stepped sneeringly up to the microphone to preach a new message from a city that all of the touring big-name rock acts serially chose to ignore. There were Screaming Trees from collegiate Ellensburg, the Melvins from rainy Montesano, Nirvana from the timber town of Aberdeen, and the converging members of Pearl Jam from across the nation.

What should have been grunge’s high point came in October 1992, when Nirvana’s second album, the hugely accomplished Nevermind, knocked Michael Jackson off the number-one spot, but the kudos ultimately killed it. After several years of railing against the mainstream, Nirvana and grunge had been incorporated into it. The media blitzed in, grunge fashion spreads appeared in Vanity Fair and half-baked singers from Seattle only had to cough to land a record contract. Many recoiled, most notably Nirvana vocalist and songwriter Kurt Cobain, whose drug abuse ended in suicide in his new Madison Park home in 1994. Other bands soldiered on, but the spark – which had burnt so brightly while it lasted – was gone. By the mid-1990s, grunge was officially dead.

7Shopping

The city's tour de force are its bookstores and record stores, surely some of the best in the nation. The main big-name shopping area is downtown between 3rd and 6th Aves and University and Stewart Sts. Pike Place Market is a maze of arts-and-crafts stalls, galleries and small shops. Pioneer Sq and Capitol Hill have locally owned gift and thrift shops.

oElliott Bay Book CompanyBOOKS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206-624-6600; www.elliottbaybook.com; 1521 10th Ave; h10am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat, to 9pm Sun; jBroadway & Pine)

Seattle's most beloved bookstore offers over 150,000 titles in a large, airy, wood-beamed space with cozy nooks that can inspire hours of serendipitous browsing. Bibliophiles will be further satisfied with regular book readings and signings.

Chophouse RowFOOD & DRINKS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1424 11th Ave; 6am to 11:30pm; gCaptiol Hill, light rail Capitol Hill)

Hidden among the historical and modern architecture of Capitol Hill, Chophouse Row feels like a locals-only secret. This new-in-2016 establishment features independent shops like Niche Outside, a charming garden shop; farmstead ice cream at Kurt Farm Shop and cocktail and wine bar Upper Bar Ferdinand.

8Information

Emergency & Medical Services

Seattle PolicePOLICE

(%206-625-5011; www.seattle.gov/police)

Harborview Medical CenterHOSPITAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-744-3000; www.uwmedicine.org/harborview; 325 9th Ave; jBroadway & Terrace)

Full medical care, with emergency room.

Media

AKEXP 90.3 FM (stream at http://kexp.org) Legendary independent music and community station.

ASeattle Times (www.seattletimes.com) The state's largest daily paper.

AThe Stranger (www.thestranger.com) Irreverent and intelligent free weekly, formerly edited by Dan Savage of ‘Savage Love’ fame.

Post

Post OfficePOST

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-748-5417; www.usps.com; 301 Union St; h8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri; dWestlake)

Tourist Information

Visit SeattleTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-461-5800; www.visitseattle.org; Washington State Convention Center, cnr Pike St & 7th Ave; h9am-5pm daily Jun-Sep, Mon-Fri Oct-May; dWestlake)

Information desk inside the Washington State Convention Center. You can pick up leaflets even when the desk is closed.

8Getting There & Away

Air

Sea-Tac International AirportAIRPORT

(SEA; GOOGLE MAP ; %206-787-5388; www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac; 17801 International Blvd; W)

Located 13 miles south of downtown Seattle, Sea-Tac has flights all over the US and to some international destinations. Amenities include restaurants, money changers, baggage storage, car-rental agencies, a cell-phone waiting area (for drivers waiting to pick up arriving passengers) and free wi-fi.

Boat

The Victoria Clipper ( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-448-5000; www.clippervacations.com; 2701 Alaskan Way, Pier 69) ferry from Victoria, BC, docks at Pier 69 just south of the Olympic Sculpture Park in Belltown. Washington State Ferries ( GOOGLE MAP ) services from Bremerton and Bainbridge Island use Pier 52.

Bus

Various inter-city coaches serve Seattle and there is more than one drop-off point – it all depends on which company you are using.

Bellair Airporter Shuttle ( GOOGLE MAP ; %866-235-5247; www.airporter.com) Runs buses to Yakima, Bellingham and Anacortes and stops at King Street Station (for Yakima) and the Washington State Convention Center (for Bellingham and Anacortes).

Cantrail (www.cantrail.com) Amtrak’s bus connector runs four daily services to Vancouver (one way $42) and picks up and drops off at King Street Station.

Greyhound ( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-628-5526; www.greyhound.com; 503 S Royal Brougham Way; dStadium) Connects Seattle with cities all over the country, including Chicago (from $195 one way, two days, two daily), Spokane ($39, eight hours, three daily), San Francisco ($100, 20 hours, three daily) and Vancouver (Canada; $23, four hours, five daily). The company has its own terminal just south of King Street Station in SoDo, accessible on the Central Link light rail (stadium station).

Quick Shuttle ( GOOGLE MAP ; %800-665-2122; www.quickcoach.com; W) Fast and efficient, with five to six daily buses to Vancouver ($43). Picks up at the Best Western Executive Inn in Taylor Ave N near the Seattle Center. Grab the monorail or walk to downtown.

Train

King Street StationTRAIN STATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %206-296-0100; www.amtrak.com; 303 S Jackson St)

Amtrak serves Seattle's King Street Station. Three main routes run through town: the Amtrak Cascades (connecting Vancouver, BC, Seattle, and Portland and Eugene in Oregon); the very scenic Coast Starlight (connecting Seattle to Oakland and Los Angeles in California) and the Empire Builder (a cross-continental to Chicago, IL).

8Getting Around

To/From the Airport

There are a number of options for making the 13-mile trek from the airport to downtown Seattle. The most efficient is the light-rail service run by Sound Transit (www.soundtransit.org). It runs every 10 to 15 minutes between 5am and midnight; the ride between Sea-Tac Airport and downtown (Westlake Center) takes 36 minutes. There are additional stops in Pioneer Sq and the International District; the service was extended to Capitol Hill and the U District in 2016.

Shuttle Express (%425-981-7000; www.shuttleexpress.com) has a pickup and drop-off point on the 3rd floor of the airport garage; it charges approximately $18 and is handy if you have a lot of luggage.

Taxis are available at the parking garage on the 3rd floor. Fares to downtown start at $39.

Seattle Orange Cab

Seattle Yellow Cab

STITA Taxi (%206-246-9999; www.stitataxi.com)

Car & Motorcycle

Seattle traffic is disproportionately heavy and chaotic for a city of its size, and parking is scarce and expensive. Add to that the city’s bizarrely cobbled-together mishmash of skewed grids, the hilly terrain and the preponderance of one-way streets and it’s easy to see why driving downtown is best avoided if at all possible.

Public Transportation

Buses are operated by King County Metro Transit (%206-553-3000; http://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro.aspx), part of the King County Department of Transportation. The website prints schedules and maps and has a trip planner.

To make things simple, all bus fares within Seattle city limits are a flat $2.75 at peak hours (6am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm weekdays). Off-peak rates are $2.50. Those aged six to 18 pay $1.50, kids under six are free, and seniors and travelers with disabilities pay $1. Most of the time you pay or show your transfer when you board. Your transfer ticket is valid for three hours from time of purchase. Most buses can carry two to three bikes.

MonorailMONORAIL

(%206-905-2620; www.seattlemonorail.com; h7:30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-11pm Sat & Sun)

This cool futuristic train, built for the 1962 World's Fair, travels only between two stops: Seattle Center and Westlake Center. Fares are $2.25/1 per adult/child.

Seattle StreetcarTRAM

(www.seattlestreetcar.org)

Two lines. One runs from downtown Seattle (Westlake) to South Lake Union; the other goes from Pioneer Square via the International District, the Central District and First Hill to Capitol Hill. Stops allow connections with numerous bus routes. Trams run approximately every 15 minutes throughout the day. The fare is $2.25.

Taxi

All Seattle taxi cabs operate at the same rate, set by King County: $2.60 at meter drop, then $2.70 per mile.

Seattle Orange CabTAXI

(%206-522-8800; www.orangecab.net)

Seattle Yellow CabTAXI

(%206-622-6500; www.seattleyellowcab.com)

Around Seattle

Olympia

Small in size but big in clout, Washington state capital Olympia is a political, musical and outdoor powerhouse that punches well above its 49,000-strong population. Look no further than the street-side buskers on 4th Ave, the smartly attired bureaucrats marching across the lawns of the resplendent state legislature or the Gore-Tex–clad outdoor fiends overnighting before rugged sorties into the Olympic Mountains. Truth is, despite its Classical Greek–sounding name, creative, out-of-the-box Olympia is anything but ordinary. Progressive Evergreen college has long lent the place an artsy turn (creator of The Simpsons Matt Groening studied here), while the dive bars and secondhand-guitar shops of downtown provided an original pulpit for riot-grrrl music and grunge.

1Sights & Activities

Washington State CapitolLANDMARK

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-902-8880; 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW; h7am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun)F

Olympia's capitol complex is set in a 30-acre park overlooking Capitol Lake with the Olympic Mountains glistening in the background. The campus' crowning glory is the magnificent Legislative Building. Completed in 1927, it's a dazzling display of craning columns and polished marble, topped by a 287ft dome that is only slightly smaller than its namesake in Washington, DC. Tours are available.

Olympia Farmers MarketMARKET

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-352-9096; www.olympiafarmersmarket.com; 700 N Capitol Way; h10am-3pm Thu-Sun Apr-Oct, Sat & Sun Nov & Dec, Sat Jan-Mar)S

Second only to Seattle's Pike Place in size and character, Olympia's local market is a great place to shop for organic herbs, vegetables, flowers, baked goods and the famous specialty: oysters.

4Sleeping & Eating

Fertile Ground GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-352-2428; www.fertileground.org; 311 9th Ave SE; s/d $110/120; W)

Surrounded by a lush and leafy organic garden, this comfortable, homey guesthouse offers three lovely rooms, one en suite and two with shared bath. Breakfast is made mostly from organic and locally sourced ingredients. There's a sauna on the premises. More rooms (including a dorm) are available at other locations; check the website for details.

Traditions Cafe & World Folk ArtHEALTH FOOD$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-705-2819; www.traditionsfairtrade.com; 300 5th Ave SW; mains $6-12; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; vc)S

This comfortable hippie enclave at the edge of Heritage Park offers fresh salads and tasty, healthy sandwiches (lemon-tahini, smoked salmon etc), coffee drinks, herbal teas, local ice cream, beer and wine. Posters advertise community-action events, and in the corner is a 'Peace and Social Justice Lending Library.' It's attached to an eclectic folk-art store.

8Information

State Capitol Visitor CenterTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-902-8881; http://olympiawa.gov/community/visiting-the-capitol.aspx; 103 Sid Snyder Ave SW; h10am-3pm Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm Sat & Sun)

Offers information on the capitol campus, the Olympia area and Washington state. Note the limited opening hours.

Olympic Peninsula

Surrounded on three sides by sea and exhibiting many of the characteristics of a full-blown island, the remote Olympic Peninsula is about as ‘wild’ and ‘west’ as America gets. What it lacks in cowboys it makes up for in rare, endangered wildlife and dense primeval forest. The peninsula’s roadless interior is largely given over to the notoriously wet Olympic National Park, while the margins are the preserve of loggers, Native American reservations and a smattering of small but interesting settlements, most notably Port Townsend. Equally untamed is the western coastline, America’s isolated end point, where tempestuous ocean and misty old-growth Pacific rainforest meet in aqueous harmony.

Olympic National Park

Declared a national monument in 1909 and a national park in 1938, the 1406-sq-mile Olympic National Park ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.nps.gov/olym; 7-day access per vehicle $25, pedestrian/cyclist $10, 1yr unlimited entry $50) shelters a unique rainforest, copious glaciated mountain peaks and a 57-mile strip of Pacific coastal wilderness that was added to the park in 1953. One of North America's great wilderness areas, most of it remains relatively untouched by human habitation. Opportunities for independent exploration in this huge backcountry region abound, be they for hiking, fishing, kayaking or skiing.

Eastern Entrances

The graveled Dosewallips River Rd follows the river from US 101 (turnoff approximately 1km north of Dosewallips State Park) for 15 miles to Dosewallips Ranger Station, where hiking trails begin; call 360-565-3130 for road conditions. Even hiking smaller portions of the two long-distance paths, including the 14.9 mile Dosewallips River Trail, with views of glaciated Mt Anderson, is reason enough to visit the valley. Another eastern entry for hikers is the Staircase Ranger Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-877-5569; hMay-Oct), just inside the national-park boundary, 15 miles from Hoodsport on US 101. Two campgrounds along the eastern edge of the national park are popular: Dosewallips State Park ( GOOGLE MAP ; %888-226-7688; http://parks.state.wa.us/499/Dosewallips; 306996 Hwy 101; tent sites $12-35, RV sites $30-45) and Skokomish Park Lake Cushman ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-877-5760; www.skokomishpark.com; tent sites from $28, RV sites from $34; hlate May-early Sep). Both have running water, flush toilets and some RV hookups. Reservations are accepted.

Northern Entrances

The park’s easiest – and hence most popular – entry point is at Hurricane Ridge, 18 miles south of Port Angeles. At the road’s end, an interpretive center gives a stupendous view of Mt Olympus (7965ft) and dozens of other peaks. The 5200ft altitude can mean you’ll hit inclement weather, and the winds here (as the name suggests) can be ferocious. Aside from various summer trekking opportunities, the area maintains the small, family-friendly Hurricane Ridge Ski & Snowboard Area ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.hurricaneridge.com; all-lift day pass $34; h10am-4pm Sat & Sun mid-Dec–Mar; c).

Popular for boating and fishing is Lake Crescent, the site of the park’s oldest and most reasonably priced lodge ( GOOGLE MAP ; %888-896-3818; www.olympicnationalparks.com; 416 Lake Crescent Rd; lodge r from $123, cabins from $292; hMay-Dec, limited availability winter; paW#). Sumptuous Northwestern-style food is served in the lodge’s ecofriendly restaurant. From Storm King Ranger Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-928-3380; 343 Barnes Point Rd; hMay-Sep) on the lake’s south shore, a 1-mile hike climbs through old-growth forest to Marymere Falls.

Along the Sol Duc River, the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-327-3583; www.olympicnationalparks.com; 12076 Sol Duc Hot Springs Rd, Port Angeles; park entrance fee $25, tent/RV sites $20/40, cabins from $179; hMar-Oct; as) has lodging, dining, massage and, of course, hot-spring pools, as well as great day hikes.

Western Entrances

Isolated by distance and home of one of the country’s rainiest microclimates, the Pacific side of the Olympics remains the wildest. Only US 101 offers access to its noted temperate rainforests and untamed coastline. The Hoh River Rainforest, at the end of the 19-mile Hoh River Rd, is a Tolkienesque maze of dripping ferns and moss-draped trees. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-374-6925; h9am-4:30pm Sep-Jun, to 6pm Jul & Aug) has information on guided walks and longer backcountry hikes. The attached campground ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-374-6925; www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/camping.htm; campsites $20) has no hookups or showers, and it’s first-come, first-served.

A little to the south lies Lake Quinault, a beautiful glacial lake surrounded by forested peaks. It’s popular for fishing, boating and swimming, and is surrounded by some of the nation’s oldest trees. Lake Quinault Lodge ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-288-2900; www.olympicnationalparks.com; 345 S Shore Rd; r $219- 450; aWs), a luxury classic of 1920s ‘parkitecture,’ has a massive fireplace, a manicured cricket-pitch-quality lawn and a dignified lake-view restaurant serving upscale American cuisine. For a cheaper sleep nearby, try the ultrafriendly Quinault River Inn ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-288-2237; www.quinaultriverinn.com; 8 River Dr; r $159; naW#) in Amanda Park, a favorite with anglers.

A number of short hikes begin just outside the Lake Quinault Lodge, or you cantry the longer Enchanted Valley Trail, a medium-grade 13-miler that begins from the Graves Creek Ranger Station at the end of South Shore Rd and climbs up to a large meadow resplendent with wildflowers and copses of alder trees.

8Information

The park entry fee is $10/25 per person/vehicle, valid for one week and payable at park entrances. Many park visitor centers double as United States Forestry Service (USFS) ranger stations, where you can pick up permits for wilderness camping ($8).

Olympic National Park Visitor Center ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-565-3100; www.nps.gov/olym; 3002 Mt Angeles Rd; h8am-6pm Jul & Aug, to 4pm Sep-Jun)

USFS Headquarters ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-956-2402; www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic; 1835 Black Lake Blvd SW; h8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri)

Forks Chamber of Commerce ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-374-2531; www.forkswa.com; 1411 S Forks Ave; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm Sun; W)

Port Townsend

Inventive eateries, elegant fin de siècle hotels and an unusual stash of year-round festivals make Port Townsend an Olympic Peninsula rarity: a weekend vacation that doesn't require hiking boots. Cut off from the rest of the area by eight bucolic miles of US 101, this is not the spot to base yourself for national-park exploration unless you don't mind driving a lot. Instead, settle in and enjoy one of the prettiest towns in the state.

1Sights

Fort Worden State ParkPARK

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-344-4412; http://parks.state.wa.us/511/Fort-Worden; 200 Battery Way; h6:30am-dusk Apr-Oct, 8am-dusk Nov-Mar)F

This attractive park located within Port Townsend's city limits is the remains of a large fortification system constructed in the 1890s to protect the strategically important Puget Sound area from outside attack – supposedly from the Spanish during the 1898 war. Sharp-eyed film buffs might recognize the area as the backdrop for the movie An Officer and a Gentleman.

Visitors can arrange tours of the Commanding Officer's Quarters ( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-385-1003; Fort Worden State Park, 200 Battery Way; adult/child $2/free; htours by appointment), a 12-bedroom mansion. You will also find the Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum ( GOOGLE MAP ; adult/child $4/2; h11am-4pm, longer weekend hours Jun-Aug), which tells the story of early Pacific coastal fortifications.

Hikes lead along the headland to Point Wilson Lighthouse Station and some wonderful windswept beaches. On the park's fishing pier is the Port Townsend Marine Science Center ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.ptmsc.org; 532 Battery Way; adult/child $5/3; hnoon-5pm Fri-Sun Apr-Oct), featuring four touch tanks and daily interpretive programs. There are also several camping and lodging possibilities.

4Sleeping & Eating

Waterstreet HotelHOTEL$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-385-5467; www.watersthotel.com; 635 Water St; r with shared bath $50-70, with private bath $75-175; aW)

Homey and friendly, the Waterstreet offers great-value rooms in a naturally aged Victorian flophouse. If you're a family or group, go for suite 5 or 15 – essentially apartments, with a loft, a full kitchen and a big back porch right on Puget Sound. Reception is in the Native American gift shop next door to the hotel.

oPalace HotelHISTORIC HOTEL$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-385-0773; www.palacehotelpt.com; 1004 Water St; r $109-159, higher on festival weekends; W#)

Built in 1889, this beautiful Victorian building was once a brothel run by the locally notorious Madame Marie, who did business out of the 2nd-floor corner suite. It's been reincarnated as an attractive, character-filled period hotel with antique furnishings (plus all the modern amenities). Pleasant common spaces; kitchenettes available. The cheapest rooms share a bathroom.

Waterfront PizzaPIZZA$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-379-9110; 951 Water St; slices $4, large pizzas $16-28; h11am-8pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat)

If you're craving a quick snack, grab a delicious, crispy, thin-crust slice downstairs – just be prepared for lines in the walk-in closet–sized dining room. For more relaxed, sit-down service, climb the stairs and sample the pies, topped with treats such as Cajun sausage, feta cheese, artichoke hearts and pesto.

oSweet Laurette Cafe & BistroFRENCH$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.sweetlaurette.com; 1029 Lawrence St; mains $10-20, brunch $9-15; h8am-9pm, closed Tue; v)

This French shabby-chic cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in the bistro and delicious coffee and pastries between mealtimes. The food is made with sustainable and mostly local ingredients – try a breakfast croque madame with honey-baked ham and Gruyère on French bread for breakfast, or Whidbey Island mussels in a white-wine cream sauce or Cape Cleare king salmon for dinner.

8Information

Visitor CenterTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %360-385-2722; www.ptchamber.org; 2409 Jefferson St; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri)

Pick up a useful walking-tour map and guide to the downtown historic district here.

8Getting There & Away

Washington State Ferries (%206-464-6400; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) operates up to 15 trips daily (depending on the season) to Coupeville on Whidbey Island from the downtown terminal (car and driver/passenger $14.05/3.30, 35 minutes).